100 Greatest WWE Matches Of All Time (Ranked)
10. John Cena vs. CM Punk (Money In The Bank 2011)
Does he have your attention now?
There was so much riding on the main event pitting wantaway rebel CM Punk vs. staunch company man John Cena at Money In The Bank. In storyline, Vince McMahon had warned Cena he'd be fired if he dared lose the WWE Title to somebody who'd vowed to leave the company with their top prize after winning it in front of his hometown crowd in Chicago. Then, there was the threat of Punk's edge washing away amidst more 'Super Cena' shenanigans.
At MITB 2011, WWE came through on the first chapter of their 'Summer Of Punk' by having CM win the belt then blow McMahon a kiss as he dashed through the crowd. His crowd. There'd been searing heat on McMahon and John Laurinaitis when the former told the latter to ring the bell during a Cena STF. This 'Montreal Screwjob' nod ended when an incensed JC attacked Laurinaitis so the match could continue.
That proved costly in the end. Punk nailed Cena with his finish and pinned him for the win. Then, following another interruption from MITB briefcase holder Alberto Del Rio, Punk fled the arena as Chicago erupted. If only WWE had honoured the majesty of this story by doubling down on it afterwards, eh? Even that shouldn't ruin what happened in July at Money In The Bank.
The build up, the hot live crowd, the rebellion of Punk, the sometimes uneasy corporate vibes of Cena, and the end result - everything about this was perfect from first bell to last.